Winston Crooke

About Winston Crooke

Winston Crooke - Cyclist, Triathlete, Event Organizer, Race Official. 1991/95 - Although I had come to Nevis specifically to open a windsurfing school, I had always planned to have some bikes to rent on the side as a means of supplementing my income, I had like most youths been fascinated with bikes as a youngster, and I fact repaired and renovated bikes as a 16yr old to earn pocket money. Got my first fleet of (6) bikes and started to rent them from my windsurfing shop based at Oualie Beach Hotel, but quickly realized that I could earn more money by offering guided tours as well. 1997/8 - I had heard of a Mountain bike race happening on St Kitts so quickly formed the Nevis Cycle Club with my brother and some friends trained for a couple of weeks, then off we went, it was of course a disaster, with us getting hopelessly lost out on the off road course and my bro fracturing his collar bone, but I was hooked on the splendor of the starting line with the vibrant colors and the camaraderie shown by the riders. After training in earnest a few of us went over to Tortola to represent Nevis in the Caribbean Cup mountain Bike race series, I remember us being laughed at by other riders on the plane over "Nevis got cyclists?? hahaha" they ribbed us, but they lost their smiles when I took 3rd place for my efforts in the Veterans downhill race section, Nevis very first medal for cycling, I was so proud. The other team members had also acquitted themselves well in the highly competitive cross country doing well enough to let everyone know we were taking it seriously. We raced in more events in the series placing on the podium a number of times, and making our presence felt in such a way that when the country that was supposed to host the final event had to pull out, they asked me if I could do it on Nevis, I said "of course" I had 5 weeks to plan the courses, raise sponsorship, order medals and trophies, organize hotels and flight discounts etc, but we did it and The Caribbean Cup came to Nevis, where we kept it for the next four years, up to the sad demise of the entire tournament due to lack of sponsorship. However Nevis was on the map and I had even been crowned Veterans Downhill Champion of the Caribbean in 2001. By this time the Nevis Cycle Club was In good stead, with 25 members and some of the younger cyclists coming on board whose names were soon to become very well known in the region and at home, with no more mountain bike racing the team began to enter the St Kitts Triathlon as the bike part of the relay team event, once again acquitting ourselves well, before deciding to enter as individuals in the mini tri series they held over there. I had the idea to start doing triathlon right here on Nevis, first with a mini series and then a full Olympic distance event which went well and we were off on a new adventure, Triathlon. 2001/07 - I played a major role in developing the triathlon subculture both here and within the Caribbean hosting tournaments here at home and taking the Nevis team off island as with the C/Cup to make a name for ourselves around the region, with our triathlon becoming one of the best events in the region attracting athletes from overseas as well. Along the way I was in communication with the UCI the world governing body for cycling, as St Kitts & Nevis was under suspension for none payment of dues for the last 12 years, after much to-ing and fro-ing I was finally able to get the federation reinstated and moved the office ...

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